A five week game jam with sprints and deliverables where we’ll make games about the challenges of our changing climate!
We are once again inviting game creators from around the world to make games that explore solutions to address a rapidly changing planet. Together we can make a difference!
When? June 15 through July 20, 2024 PDT
(Jam begins at 12pm Noon PDT on June 15th and ends at 12pm Noon PDT on July 20th.)
Theme: Change the Story
"Change the story” as this year’s Climate Game Jam theme means we need to show that we can (and must) end the age of fossil fuels, and that our lives will be so much better because of it. We need today’s best storytellers to immerse players in narratives of the future, showing struggles, resilience and successes of climate action.
(more details below)
One Month, Four Sprints
Climate Jam 2024 will be presented in the Greenlight Jam format; join us and work step-by-step towards a polished, releasable project!
The concept of “greenlighting” a project is giving it the clearance to be fully developed in a released project. For this jam, it only means taking the concepts from the first week and giving them the “all clear” to be made into a title worth selling!
Climate Jam 2024’s sprint schedule is as follows:
June 15- June 22nd - Ideation: Brainstorm and work out what you will make. Do not start making a game, but work out your ideas with brainstorming, some research, and lots of prototyping (things you can throw away later!). For those of you that jam regularly, you might find it challenging to not jump right in. But the extra time spent ideating and planning will pay off in the upcoming jam series. If this was a typical 48 hour jam, this is the "end of Friday night" for where you should be.
June 22nd - June 29th: Prototype: Make the initial prototype of the game. It can be buggy, messy, and all sorts of placeholder, but you should have a playable experience by the end of this sprint!
June 29th - July 13th: Production: Two weeks of production based on what you discovered during the concept and prototyping weeks.
July 13th - July 20th: Release and Marketing: Fix the bugs, add some juice, make your polished masterpiece! You will submit to this jam for the final of Release Jam, there is not a separate itch.io jam page.
More on this year's theme...
The scientific facts about global warming have been known for decades. But due to the bad actions of industry PR firms, the public was confused about even the basics. Even today some remain confused or hold conspiratorial beliefs about the realities of fossil-fuel-driven global warming. So part of “changing the story” is assuring that the scientific realities are conveyed clearly and authentically.
On the other hand, many environmental messages come across as “gloom and doom,” in which the problems are described but paths towards solutions are less evident. Some climate change narratives quickly fall into "The Last of Us”-style apocalypses. Although future floods, droughts, and heat extremes will certainly be more intense in coming decades, their effects on people are never inevitable. Planning at the local, national and international scales can prevent many human impacts. In what ways can you imagine how changes in housing, energy, food, and transportation systems could protect the most people?
Climate justice has proven to be an effective frame at changing the narrative. Burdens of fossil fuel use have so often fallen on indigenous communities, communities of color and other marginalized groups. Who instead benefits from continued reliance on dirty energy sources?
Climate justice activists present visions of a world in which pollution is not in anyone’s backyard, where humans and nature are no longer commodified, and where today’s extractive, polluting economy is instead replaced with a regenerative one. Can games incorporate these ideals? Aesthetics such as Afrofuturism and solarpunk could help to shape vibrant visions of a just climate future within games.
We’re at a critical juncture for climate action. New heat extremes are being set every month, yet there’s still more carbon pollution being released than ever before. Change is inevitable, but justice is not. It’s time to take control of the narrative to help us envision and realize a better future.
Jam Community
Join us on Discord! This year's jam will take place on the IndieCade Discord server. There will be mentors there to help with your creations and resources available for you to use during the jam and beyond. It is also an easy way to ask questions, chat and meet other jammers.
We’ll have a jam team-making channel where you can offer your services to others who are working on the jam or if you are a team looking for someone with specific skills, and many other channels dedicated to helping you have the best experience possible.
If you are new to the IndieCade Discord server:
- Go to indiecade.com/discord
- Hit the green button with the checkmark to acknowledge our Code of Conduct.
- There will be channels marked specifically for Climate Jam 2024. More channels and Discord instructions will be posted closer to the event.
Jam Resources
For first-time jammers, we've assembled a list of resources to help you get started. Don't hesitate to ask us any questions you might have in the discord! Be sure to check out the Environmental Game Design Playbook from the IGDA Climate SIG.
We’re also going to have mentors relating to game development, climate change, and this year’s theme! If you are interested in being a mentor this year, please contact parker@indiecade.com.
More resources will be listed as we announce this year's theme.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out past Climate and Greenlight games:
Results from the 2023 Climate Jam
Results from the 2023 Greenlight Jam
Rules and Info
Participants will be tasked with creating a game between 6/15/2024 and 7/20/2024, in whatever format they choose, while using the themes as guidance. Form a team with others or work solo - you decide!
The jam is open to people of all skill levels, newcomers are always welcome, and we will ensure that everyone finds a team to join that fits your skills and interests.
Use of pre-made code/assets is allowed as long as they are credited to the proper source.
FAQ
Do I have to work the whole time? No, of course not! These time frames are longer than we expect you to work on the game, just to allow for a variety of schedules. We’d recommend anywhere between 8-16 hours a week per jam session, but whatever you have time for, you do you!
Can I work in teams?
Of course, we’d recommend it!
Can I start working on X part of the project before the listed time frame? We’d recommend you spend the time developing the game per the schedule provided, but we won’t require you to stay on our recommended schedule. As long as you start with the opening of the jam and submit with the milestone jams, you can be malleable with your changes of production.
Is there a theme?
Climate Jam’s theme this year will be announced on Earth Day!
Can I make a physical game?
Yeah! Absolutely, we love board / card/ tabletop games and this would be the perfect scope to make a first version.
Am I required to sell my game after, or can it still be free?
You can put it up for free, but we'd love to see you add a suggested price tag! Your work is amazing and you deserve it.
Can I work on a game I previously made, or am currently in the middle of developing?
We ask that you not use the jam as a continuation of a previous project. You may take a new approach on the idea of a previous game of yours, but the whole process from concept to completion should be new.
Why 'Greenlight'?
In our sixth year, we have seen that the games coming out of Climate Jam have incredibly important messages and innovations in approaching climate solutions. We opted to use our Greenlight Jam format for multiple reasons, one is to allow a production path that will provide more depth and more support in the creation work, and the second to enable jam participants to have prototypes or small games that have the potential to get to the next level and a broader audience.
Game Design Internship Opportunity
Are you a game design student? IndieCade is incorporating a Summer Game Design internship opportunity into this jam.
Learn more and sign up here: https://www.indiecade.com/internships/game-design/